Depression

Hi all, I hope I am doing this post correctly - I have been reading the posts on sleep and drinking. I have been a die hard white wine drinker for sometime, and I can admit that I rely on it to calm me down so I can relax and let my brain and body take a break. I am not saying this is a healthy way to take care of the problem, but for me it works. You are right about the blood sugar levels dropping if you over due it, and it can take days to get out of your system. Anyway, I had another question for all of you. I have been gluten-free since April of 05, for the first several months I was pretty much on top of the world, my tummy didn't hurt, I wasn't frantically keeping track of where the closest rest room was AND I started to drop a couple of pounds and feel less bloated. All good stuff! That is all changing for me now. I have read that celiac disease is associated with mood swings and fatique, but I can't find the way around them. Has anyone else had this problem?
Denice

I have been gluten-free since April of 05, for the first several months I was pretty much on top of the world, my tummy didn't hurt, I wasn't frantically keeping track of where the closest rest room was AND I started to drop a couple of pounds and feel less bloated. All good stuff! That is all changing for me now. I have read that celiac disease is associated with mood swings and fatique, but I can't find the way around them. Has anyone else had this problem?Denice

When I've been glutened, the depression and rage really show up. Then I have to just tough it out for 12 to 24 hours before I feel emotionally more stable. Are you being glutened from some source? When did your mood swings and fatigue come in? The fatigue is a definite sign of ingesting gluten. How long were you sick before going gluten-free? The healing time is different for everyone, so maybe you aren't as far along with your healing as you thought you were.

When I've been glutened, the depression and rage really show up. Then I have to just tough it out for 12 to 24 hours before I feel emotionally more stable. Are you being glutened from some source? When did your mood swings and fatigue come in? The fatigue is a definite sign of ingesting gluten. How long were you sick before going gluten-free? The healing time is different for everyone, so maybe you aren't as far along with your healing as you thought you were.

The bbest we can figure out is that is was a min of 6 years, but more likely 10+, they just told me I had IBS and to treat it with amoniam AD. Since finding out it was celiac disease, I feel like I have been pretty failthful. I do keep finding "stufff" that shocked me had gluten in them, my cream rinse for one. The mood swings and fatique showed up about 6 or so weeks ago. My medical doc just wants me to get into counseling, and I am willing to give that a try - just thought if somewhere out there one of you of a better solution. I would listen up

Denice- I have suffered from depression since my early twenties (convinced the onset had something to do with being undiagnosed Celiac) and when I first went gluten-free in February, about 3 weeks in, I started having unbelievable mood swings and I realized it was happening when I was ingesting gluten so I got really strict (I still had so much to learn at this point) and it calmed down until about June. Then again, I realized I was becoming MUCH more sensitive to even tiny amounts of gluten than I ever thought possible and they started again.

I am on medication for it (depression), but when I get glutened, even increasing the medication doesn't help. I just take something to help me sleep and hope that I wake up feeling better the next day. At first, i was confused but now that I know that it's gluten, I can remind myself it will pass. That doesn't always work either though.

Therapy has actually helped me tremendously- I've been able (most of the time) to step back, look at the reason for my moods and more often than not, realize that food=mood. But it's been really good to hjave a professional to talk to. Hang in there, B

Denice- I have suffered from depression since my early twenties (convinced the onset had something to do with being undiagnosed Celiac) and when I first went gluten-free in February, about 3 weeks in, I started having unbelievable mood swings and I realized it was happening when I was ingesting gluten so I got really strict (I still had so much to learn at this point) and it calmed down until about June. Then again, I realized I was becoming MUCH more sensitive to even tiny amounts of gluten than I ever thought possible and they started again.

I am on medication for it (depression), but when I get glutened, even increasing the medication doesn't help. I just take something to help me sleep and hope that I wake up feeling better the next day. At first, i was confused but now that I know that it's gluten, I can remind myself it will pass. That doesn't always work either though.

Therapy has actually helped me tremendously- I've been able (most of the time) to step back, look at the reason for my moods and more often than not, realize that food=mood. But it's been really good to hjave a professional to talk to. Hang in there, B

Thanks B,I do think having someone to talk to will help - just reading these different posts helps when I am feeling "down"!!! I also and started to believe that I need to increase my carbs and that might help. Anyway, I am going to keep plugging away! Thanks to all who answered, and an especial thanks to everyone who posts their knowledge and experiences on the message boards!Denice

Hi Denice,
I feel in a similar position as you, I've been gluten-free for a couple of months, but it isn't really helping with my mood swings. I feel like I'm being really careful with what I eat, but it doesn't seem to help. I've been struggling with depression for the last eight years (I'm 26) and was hoping that a gluten-free diet would really help. My physical symptoms are a lot better, but not my emotional ones. I guess it can take quite a while to recover, so maybe that's it. I'm in therapy and that does help, and I've been on antidepressants in the past - I just don't want to go there again. Recently I've had these fits of anger - which is so out of character for me - usually I just cry. Oh well, roller-coaster! I'll wait and see!
Mariah

I've been strict gluten-free since 2/2004 and I notice (looking back) a slight depression since being diagnosed. It 's better now, for the most part, but it definitely took approx. 3 mo. to clear the worst of it. I haven't noticed any correlation between mood swings and gluten. I'll have to pay closer attention to this. I attribute my mild depression to the major life change that I have made this year with becoming gluten-free. It's altered every aspect of my life. Now that I'm coming up on one year gluten-free, I'm doing a lot better with the whole thing.
--Kelly Langenfeld

I went through a period of severe depression after going gluten-free. My life was falling apart at the time also. It was probably a combination of the diet change and life events. However things did get better, much better. It does take time but it is worth it to stick to the diet.

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If all the world is indeed a stage and we are merely players then will someone give me the script because I have no f!@#$%^ clue as to what is going on!

What does not kill you makes you stronger.Nobody cares about losers and quitters never win. If you fail with the cowards then what's the message you send?Can't get it right, no matter what I do. Might as well be me and keep fu@$ing up for you. - Brian Thomas (Halloween, the greatest metal band ever!)

Ian Moore. Self diagnosed at 36 because the doctors were clueless.Started low-carb diet early 2004, felt better but not totally gluten-free. Went 100% gluten-free early 2005 and life has never been better.

I went through a period of severe depression after going gluten-free. My life was falling apart at the time also. It was probably a combination of the diet change and life events. However things did get better, much better. It does take time but it is worth it to stick to the diet.

Hello All!

I've been gluten free now for a little over 4 weeks, and I check everything, from food, to hair and beauty products, to laundry detergent.

I feel even Worse that I did before, after I went totally gluten free. I keep telling myself that in time I will feel better, but it really worries me. I'm really teary, and really odd things will make me teary! The holiday season has only made it worse, of course. I keep hearing stories from here on how people's depression and mood's have miraculously changed, and I just wonder, if that will ever happen to me. I do realize I'm just a little over 4 weeks into the process, and that I need to be more patient, so I try to be.

Depression ran in my family.

I guess I'm wondering if someone who has has an on-going problem with depression going to benefit emotionally from going gluten free? I'm going gluten free no matter what, my health and future are just too important, but I was just wondering if people who have been diagnosed with depression, do we have any hope of ever feeling better and maybe one day lowering if not eliminating the drugs we take for anti-depressants?

Denice,
THe same thing happened to me. I was so happy to feel better emotionally and physically once going gluten free 7 months ago. I felt great for like 4 months or more. THen all of the sudden I think I must have become more sensitive to gluten and wasn't being careful enough maybe when cooking for the rest of my family. Also was in my shampoo and I tried eating McCann's oats, which I think I must have been getting some there. I started feeling VERY fatigued, depressed, nausea on and off and return of IBS symptoms. I guess maybe the only thing I can figure is that as we get further away from going off gluten, that our bodies become ultra sensitive. I hate it that I have to analzye all of this and it consumes my life. I am happy to have at least figured out that the gluten is what causes the severe fatigue, mild depression and moodiness. Mainly depressed during that time, because I feel so rotten after getting gluttened.
SO, I guess we just need to be very careful and hope that as time goes on we will get better again.
Monica

I've never been DX with depression, but before being gluten-free, I suffered from anxiety, panic attacks (infrequent), and depression. After about 4 months gluten-free, I felt a lot better--the anxiety was pretty much gone and I would wake up feeling more positive. I have not had an anxiety attack since I cut out the gluten. If I am glutened, I immediately begin to feel anxious again. I'm also more sensitive to gluten the longer I'm off of it. I understand that's a fairly common reaction.

Hang in there Kim. I was really an emotional train wreck (on the inside) after my initial diagnosis and going gluten-free, much worse emotionally than prior to my dx. It progressively got better for me. As far as prexisting depression, perhaps that was gluten related and perhaps not. It's tough to try and speculate if this will improve to the point that you will no longer feel the need for antidepressants. The longstanding effects of going gluten-free for me is that I'm no longer constantly perculating, and that I'm no longer so bloated that I feel like "this is what it must feel like to be pregnant". I haven't noticed any longstanding emotional effects from going gluten-free, but depression and anxiety are certainly shown to be side effects of being glutened. Hang in there and have faith that things will improve. Things will definitely be easier for you after the holiday passes.
--Kelly Langenfeld

Hang in there Kim. I was really an emotional train wreck (on the inside) after my initial diagnosis and going gluten-free, much worse emotionally than prior to my dx. It progressively got better for me. As far as prexisting depression, perhaps that was gluten related and perhaps not. It's tough to try and speculate if this will improve to the point that you will no longer feel the need for antidepressants. The longstanding effects of going gluten-free for me is that I'm no longer constantly perculating, and that I'm no longer so bloated that I feel like "this is what it must feel like to be pregnant". I haven't noticed any longstanding emotional effects from going gluten-free, but depression and anxiety are certainly shown to be side effects of being glutened. Hang in there and have faith that things will improve. Things will definitely be easier for you after the holiday passes.--Kelly Langenfeld

Dear Kelly,

Thank you for your kind words and wisdom. I just need to learn to have more patience with myself, during the first stages of being totally gluten free, its very possible my depression could get worse. But with my health slowly improving, I'm hoping in time my whole outlook on life will eventually improve. I know your right when you say, I might never be able to give up my anti-depressants, but at least I'm on the road of recovery from this disease, and hopefully I will be able to feel some benefits from that at some point.

I need to work on my patience, I've only been gluten free for 4 weeks now, Anyway, thank you for responding,

Kim- hang in there! It's a huge adjustment (I'm actually just starting to realize how huge). I've been gluten-free for 10 months now (except for a ten day gluten challenge) and I am ultra-sensitive bto minute amounts of gluten. It clearly affects my mood. I think you go through a lot emotionally (and physically) when you go gluten-free. I think I was also under the impression that it would heal everything and that may not be the case. But, little by little, you get better every day. You may not notice it, but others do. my hubby tells me all the time. Happy Holidays! This is my first gluten free holiday season too.